Ex-assistant breaks down describing moment Diddy allegedly forced himself on her
Sean “Diddy” Combs former assistant broke down in tears while testifying Thursday in his federal trial for sex crimes.
Using the anonymous pseudonym “Mia,” Diddy’s ex-employee claimed the “Last Night” rapper sexually assaulted her at his Los Angeles home.
Mia said she was sleeping in an unlocked room that had bunk beds. She allegedly woke up with Diddy on top of her, with instructions to be quiet. Mia testified that Diddy used one hand to get his pants off.
She claimed through tears, “He put himself inside of me.”
“I just froze,” Mia said on the stand. “I didn’t react.” She said she felt “terrified and confused and ashamed … and scared.”
Mia testified that she did not want to have sex with Diddy. The assault was allegedly very quick, “but felt like forever.” She didn’t remember how it ended, but she claimed he didn’t leave the job unfinished.
The former employee told the court that Diddy had control over her. “I couldn’t tell him no … I couldn’t tell him no about anything,” she said during her testimony. “I knew his power … control over me. I didn’t want to lose anything I worked so hard for.”
She claimed the “Victory” rapper
sexually assaulted her sporadically throughout her employment, with the first incident during his 40th birthday party in New York.
After Diddy gave her two shots of alcohol, Mia claimed she froze when Diddy began to kiss her and move his hand up her dress.
“I was shocked … I froze,” she said. Mia said that not only was Diddy her boss, but he was also a very powerful person. She claimed she didn’t remember “coming to” and getting from the kitchen to the penthouse.
Mia also testified that not only did she witness the Bad Boy Records founder getting violent with Cassie Ventura
, but he also was physically violent with her. She claimed he once slammed her arm in a bathroom door after allegedly stealing her cellphone.
During another alleged incident, Mia claimed Diddy threw a computer at her head while on set in Los Angeles.
She became emotional when she told the court she was not only terrified and humiliated, but also confused. She thought something was wrong with her to make him so upset.
The jury was dismissed just before 4 p.m. and ordered to return Friday, May 29.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former assistant, testifying under the pseudonym “Mia,” testified to the control the rapper allegedly had over her.
“I couldn’t tell him no…I couldn’t tell him no about anything,” she said during her testimony. Mia explained she didn’t want to be a target. She told the jury she was afraid of being fired and worried about Diddy ruining her future. Mia claimed she was afraid the music mogul would twist the story to make her look like a threat.
“I knew his power…control over me,” she told prosecutors. “I didn’t want to lose anything I worked so hard for.”
Mia said she was concerned her job would be over and she would never work in the industry again. She also claimed she was worried about being attacked.
Mia looked down throughout much of this testimony in Diddy’s trial, sometimes mumbling her answers.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Mia, Sean “Diddy” Combs former assistant, told the court she was given a “warning” before an incident with the “Missing You” rapper.
The ex-employee testified Thursday that she was still relatively new when she was tasked with going to Diddy’s apartment. Upon arriving, his security guard Uncle Paulie allegedly gave her a “warning” as if “I’ve seen this before.” She said alarms went off in her head.
She went upstairs with Diddy’s bags, where he then allegedly asked her to pull something up on the computer for him. While she proceeded, Diddy allegedly sat down next to her, leaned over and put his face in the computer in an uncomfortable way.
Mia said he had never been that close, which made her feel “alarm bells.” She claimed she felt “uncomfortable,” but “didn’t know how to behave.”
She testified to faking needing to use the bathroom, and Diddy then let her leave for the evening. Mia said she convinced herself he wasn’t trying to do anything, and that Uncle Paulie’s warning was a silly joke.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former aide, Mia, claimed the “Victory” rapper sexually assaulted her sporadically throughout her employment.
Mia became emotional recalling the first time Diddy allegedly sexually assaulted her. She claimed they were at the Plaza Hotel during his 40th birthday, and Diddy had rented a penthouse suite. The main party was downstairs.
The former assistant claimed she went to the penthouse because she had to stay within eyesight. Diddy allegedly asked to speak to her in the kitchen, where he told her what a good job she was doing but that she didn’t need to be scared to go to him because they would be working closer together.
He then allegedly gave her two shots of alcohol, which she claimed “hit me kind of hard.” Diddy went to kiss Mia and had his hand up her dress, she testified. Mia said she did not want Diddy to kiss her or put his hand up her dress, but she couldn’t say no.
“I was shocked … I froze,” she said. Mia said that not only was Diddy her boss
, but he was also a very powerful person. She claimed she didn’t remember “coming to” and getting from the kitchen to the penthouse.
She testified that she didn’t think it would happen again, and that Diddy was likely drunk and wouldn’t remember it because “it was a huge accident.”
Fox News Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs was allegedly physically violent with his former assistant.
Testifying anonymously under the name “Mia,” his ex-employee said Diddy hurt her while she was at the Revolt TV office in Los Angeles, Calif.
Mia said she was enlisted to help develop the network, and was there for a “come to Jesus meeting.” Diddy allegedly ordered Mia to get someone on the phone using her own device.
Diddy then allegedly ran away with her phone to the bathroom. Once in the bathroom, she claimed her arm got partially in through the door, but Diddy slammed it on her arm. At first she believed it to be an accident, but claimed he did it multiple times.
Mia said she thought at first her arm was broken, but she only had bruises. Then, Diddy allegedly “bolted right passed me,” down the fire stairs to the road.
Later that day, she saw the “Last Night” rapper at the studio, and he allegedly told her he sent all of her compromising photos to his phone so that he would have something on her. She said she was relieved because Diddy did not see a message with Derek the stylist talking about him, and she also didn’t have compromising images on her phone.
Fox News Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ allegedly became violent with his former assistant while on set in Los Angeles, Calif.
The ex-employee, who testified anonymously under the moniker “Mia,” told the court Thursday that Diddy once threw a computer at her.
In 2011 or 2012, Mia claimed the Wi-Fi wasn’t working in his trailer, so she went to figure it out and report back to her boss.
Upon returning to Diddy, he allegedly told her she shouldn’t have come back unless the problem was fixed, and then threw a computer “very close” to her head.
Mia thought, “Wow he meant to hit me.” She testified to running out of the trailer and then hiding near a luggage van.
She became emotional when she told the court she was not only terrified and humiliated, but also confused. She thought something was wrong with her to make him so upset.
Fox News Digital’s Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former assistant, Mia, testified Thursday to once attending the Burning Man musical festival with the rapper.
While on a decked out tour bus, which allegedly included black out shades and a disco ball, Mia claimed Diddy pulled out three plates of white powder – MDMA, cocaine and ketamine.
She said that people were taking turns guessing which drugs were which. When it was her turn, Mia attempted to say “no,” but “Puff wouldn’t let it go.”
Mia claimed his tone changed, like she was going to “mess up the whole vibe.” She attempted to fake snort the drugs, but Diddy got close to her face and then got upset she tried faking it. Mia said he humiliated her, and then separated a dose for her to snort.
The former assistant testified she then snorted the drugs, but blew them out of her nose when she got away from Diddy.
Mia claimed she had seen a friend go through what looked like “an exorcism” and it didn’t look like you were in control of yourself. She said she didn’t want to take the ketamine, but didn’t feel as though she had a choice.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Mia, who previously worked as Sean “Diddy” Combs’ assistant, testified in federal court Thursday that the disgraced music mogul would spend “thousands of dollars” on a “freak off.”
She claimed Diddy and his then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, would go to hotels for “hotel nights,” which would sometimes be multiple nights. She said she would bring baby oil, Astroglide, condoms, and a mix of cheap and expensive candles.
Everything had to be white, Mia testified. Diddy would allegedly call if needed for unexpected items to be brought to hotels. She claimed he would ask for food, things forgotten from the house and money from security.
On one hotel night at the London hotel in New York, Diddy allegedly asked Mia to bring something to the hotel. Upon reaching the door, Mia said Cassie peaked her head out, “as if she was struggling.”
Mia said it was “different than I had seen her before so much that I asked ‘are you good.'” Cassie allegedly said she was good and closed the door.
Another one of Mia’s alleged tasks was to sweep wherever Diddy was, including the hotel rooms so that there was nothing a housekeeper could take to TMZ and expose his personal, private business.
She described the rooms looking like “a nightmare” with candlewax everywhere, wet towels, water all over the floor, blood and oil.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs ex-assistant remembered when the Bad Boy Records founder discovered Cassie Ventura’s relationship with Kid Cudi.
The former assistant, who testified under the pseudonym “Mia,” said that “instead of being mad, Puff was upset” about Cassie and Cudi.
Diddy allegedly appeared “heartbroken,” instead of what she said was his usual “angry and aggressive” response. This time, she said, it was “ominous.”
Mia testified that of all the times before, she had never seen Cassie do something to cause Diddy to be upset.
“I felt like I was bracing myself for something about to happen,” Mia said on the stand.
She allegedly sent an email to D-Roc in December 2011 with a request to talk to him, and claimed, “I’m just super worried about P … something felt wrong this morning, this awful energy.” Mia said this time was different because Diddy was “acting different and was hurt.”
D-Roc allegedly responded back, “Yeah, it’s crazy right now. We def need to talk.”
Fox News Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former assistant, Mia, claimed Cassie Ventura attended the 2012 Cannes Film Festival with a busted lip.
Mia testified Thursday to seeing Cassie’s injuries at their hotel. She said Cassie allegedly had taken an audio recording “that Puff was attacking her.”
Mia allegedly listened to the audio recording and recognized both Diddy and Cassie’s voices.
In the recording, Mia recalled hearing Cassie panicked while the “Late Night” rapper was allegedly yelling he was “very, very, very angry.” She testified to hearing the sound of someone getting hit.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Mia, Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ex assistant, told the court Thursday that she never called the police on her former boss.
Even after allegedly witnessing violent interactions between the “Victory” rapper and Cassie Ventura, Mia didn’t get law enforcement officials involved because “Puff’s authority was above the police,” she claimed.
Mia testified that the time was years before social media existed and before anyone stood up to someone in power like Diddy. At the time, she said it may have fallen under confidentiality.
She claimed it was her job to protect Diddy from others because so many people were trying to blackmail him.
Mia allegedly often saw bruises on Cassie’s body, including fat lips, busted eyebrow and black eyes.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs former assistant, who testified with the pseudonym “Mia,” claimed the rapper once turned violent with Cassie Ventura during a Turks and Caicos trip.
During direct examination, Mia told Madison Smyser with U.S. Attorney’s Office
that she was sleeping in a bedroom when she was allegedly woke up to Cassie “running and screaming into the room.”
“She was screaming for help,” Mia claimed Cassie said. “You have to help me. He’s going to kill me.”
The former assistant testified that Cassie was terrified, “like someone screaming for her life.”
They allegedly began pushing furniture in front of a door in an attempt to lock it, before Diddy began banging on the door and screaming.
Mia claimed that the bedroom had a porch exit onto the beach, and said she and Cassie ran out the back and were running “so fast” down the beach that she was surprised mosquitos could still attack them.
Fox News Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Cassie Ventura and Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former assistant, Mia, allegedly snuck away together to attend a Prince party without the rapper’s permission in 2011 or 2012.
Mia testified Thursday that Diddy had gotten a suite and told her to stay the night with Cassie and make sure she didn’t go to the house because he was going to be there with his kids.
She claimed that a friend called about a party with Prince, and she remembered debating sneaking out of the hotel with Cassie like they were little kids.
Once at the party, she claimed to see Diddy come through wearing a bucket hat. Mia and Cassie “booked it” out of the house, and tried to hide in the bushes, but she claimed Diddy caught Cassie and had her on the ground.
Mia testified that Diddy “started to attack her,” but security “swiftly intervened.” Following the incident, the Bad Boy Records founder allegedly suspended her without pay, and deemed her “insubordinate.”
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former assistant testified Thursday against her ex-boss in his federal trial for sex crimes.
His former employee, who is testifying under the pseudonym “Mia,” claimed the Bad Boy Records founder’s eyes “turned like black” when he was mad.
She claimed that there was “no getting through” to Diddy when he was angry. She said he got this look “when he was in a fit of rage.”
Mia worked for Diddy as his personal assistant and as a director at Revolt films. She described the work environment as “chaotic, toxic … the highs were really high and the lows were really low.” According to Mia, Diddy’s mood determined the environment.
Mia once allegedly jumped on Diddy’s back in an attempt to save Cassie Ventura during a violent incident, but was thrown against a wall.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ex-assistant, who testified under the pseudonym “Mia,” told the court Thursday she witnessed an explosive incident while at Cassie Ventura’s apartment.
Diddy’s former stylist, Deonte Nash, and Mia were helping Cassie pack for a trip when the “Last Night” rapper allegedly began “banging on the door, very irate.” Mia claimed he eventually came inside, and was “screaming at Cass” asking if she had been drinking.
Mia said Diddy approached her and Deonte, asking if Cassie had been drinking, and then allegedly began attacking Cassie.
She claimed to rush to Cassie’s aid with Deonte after Diddy allegedly threw Cassie to the ground. They were trying to get Diddy off of Cassie, but Mia said everything was happening so fast, “a little like a tornado going on.”
Mia allegedly jumped on Diddy’s back, but was thrown against a wall. She said she felt like they were in “real danger” during the incident. She claimed to witnessing Diddy grab Cassie, but she couldn’t get to her fast enough.
Underneath Cassie’s bed was a sharp, wood platform, and Mia testified to believing Diddy was going to kill Cassie after she allegedly saw him slam Cassie’s head into the corner of the bed.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ex-assistant testified that she witnessed the rapper attack Cassie “all the time.”
Mia, testifying under a pseudonym, said she witnessed violence between Combs and Cassie while working for the “Last Night” rapper.
The former assistant also claimed she saw a lot of injuries on Cassie. Mia testified that she saw Diddy attack Cassie, throw her on the ground, crack her head open and chase her. According to Mia, Cassie never fought back. The singer would only throw her arms up to stop Diddy. Mia sighed and paused a lot as she was saying this. She claimed she saw Diddy attack Cassie “all the time.”
The first time she saw the rapper attack Cassie was in 2009 or 2010 at Combs’ home. She claimed she heard “loud thuds” and saw suitcases being thrown into the foyer. She said Cassie was then outside “crying and shaking” by a bush. Cassie had a “terrified look in her eye” as if Mia was not supposed to look at her hiding. Mia said she followed Cassie’s instructions and pretended not to see her. Mia claimed she was confused as to what was going on.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ex-assistant, Mia, told the court Thursday that she was often responsible for checking in on his then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura.
Mia testified she was with Cassie as much as allowed while working for the “All About the Benjamins” rapper.
The former assistant claimed Diddy would tell her to “keep tabs on” Cassie, or “check up on her.” She agreed that it was part of her job to spend time with the “Me & U” singer.
Mia said she and Cassie had to be wherever Diddy was, and if they did something without his permission, Mia testified “it would be something really bad, something scary.”
While on the stand, Mia said their “punishment would be unpredictable” and “terrifying.”
Diddy would communicate via call, text, email or through someone else, like Mia, she claimed. If Cassie didn’t answer the phone, Mia claimed there would be multiple people calling, texting, and security would show up.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Diddy’s ex-assistant claimed the rapper had final say on everything related to his then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura.
The former employee, testifying as “Mia,” said that
singer-songwriter Cassie was also an actress. According to Mia, she helped Cassie navigate that world.
Mia testified Diddy was very involved in the final decisions of Cassie’s career. The rapper’s approval was allegedly needed for outfits, nails and hairstyles.
Mia told prosecutors she was aware that Diddy’s office paid for Cassie’s credit cards and places where the “Me & U” singer lived. Cassie’s cars were also allegedly under Combs’ name. Mia confirmed Diddy would take Cassie’s car, jewelry and support away when he was upset. Cassie would allegedly do anything to make sure it didn’t happen.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former assistant, who testified under the pseudonym “Mia,” claimed on the stand Thursday that she’s still friends with Cassie Ventura.
Mia, who previously worked for Georgina Chapman and was once an assistant for Mike Myers
, said she became like sisters and best friends with Cassie when she worked for the “Last Night” rapper.
Mia testified that Diddy’s relationship with Cassie followed a “series of highs and lows,” and was at times “unequal” and “toxic.”
She claimed to have witnessed violence between the Bad Boy Records founder and Cassie during her tenure as Diddy’s assistant.
Fox News Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ family attended court as the jury heard testimony from the rapper’s former assistant.
Diddy’s mom, Janice, along with his sons showed up at the Manhattan courthouse for the 12th day of testimony in the 55-year-old music producer’s trial.
Diddy’s ex-assistant, allowed to testify under the pseudonym “Mia,” told the jury the rapper sexually assaulted her more than once.
Mia also testified about the “toxic” work environment she experienced under Diddy. The rapper’s moods allegedly dictated how Mia was treated. According to the ex-assistant, Diddy threw things at her, once threw her into a wall, threw her into a pool and slammed her arm into a door.
“The highs were really high and the lows were really low,” Mia told prosecutors.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former assistant testified under the pseudonym “Mia” on Thursday.
Mia claimed she was the only assistant for about a year, telling the jury, “I didn’t have time to feel…insane.” She said the “Last Night” rapper told her it would be hard, but they would get through it. She testified it was difficult to be the only assistant. Eventually, three additional assistants were hired.
Mia said, “I felt like I was responsible for everything.” According to Mia, she got in trouble for others failing to do work. She allegedly never got time off. Mia claimed she was punished and rarely got to run errands. “I felt like I was bearing the brunt of everything,” she told prosecutors. Mia claimed she had “a thousand times more” responsibility.
Mia described “punishment” as getting cursed out, humiliated, having her intelligence insulted and her job threatened.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Mia, Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ex-assistant, testified she was not allowed to leave the rapper’s homes without his permission.
Mia claimed once when everyone was asleep she thought she was “off the clock.” Combs was allegedly in bed and she was “desperate” to meet friends. Mia claimed she went to meet them, but “got in big trouble.” Security called Mia to say Diddy was sending them to get her. She said she did not realize she wasn’t allowed to leave. According to Mia, she was also not allowed to lock her bedroom door when staying in Combs’ homes.
Mia testified that security also stayed at Diddy’s homes, including Uncle Paulie, D-Roc and Ruben. However, Mia claimed security could lock their bedroom doors. One room allegedly had a deadbolt, another had a keypad.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former assistant testified that she was expected to go without sleep all the time while working for the rapper.
Mia claimed she once went five days without sleep while working. She said they were working, traveling, making club appearances and filming impromptu music videos. Mia claimed she has ADHD and has had a prescription since she was 17. According to Mia, she took extended release Adderall. She finally slept when she had a “physical breakdown.” Mia claimed she lost her hearing, had blurred vision, saw lights that weren’t there, burst into tears and couldn’t stop. Diddy then allegedly told her she could sleep.
Mia testified that she was “so excited, so nervous” and “really eager” to work for Diddy. She expected to work more than average, but not literally 24/7. She did not expect to work every weekend, believing there would be a rotation.
According to Mia, her base salary was $50K and she was told she was to work 40 hours per week. She testified anything over 40 would be considered overtime.
Mia described her first day of work. She explained she was told she wasn’t going to see Diddy for roughly two weeks while she was “on trial” and got accustomed to the job. Mia was instructed to go to Diddy’s home in New Jersey and take note of what needed attention. She said she was there for a few hours and went back to the office before being told she could go home. However, Mia claimed she was then told to go to the studio until 1:00pm the next day and then to go to Diddy’s apartment. According to Mia, she didn’t sleep during her first 24 hours on the job.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former assistant had prior experience in the entertainment industry.
Mia testified that she loved storytelling, films and TV and thought she could move to New York City and get a job in the entertainment industry.
Her first job was for fashion designer Georgina Chapman, the former wife of film producer Harvey Weinstein, and then as “Austin Powers” star Mike Myers’ personal assistant.
Mia began working for Diddy in 2009. She left her job in 2017.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former assistant took the stand Thursday under the pseudonym “Mia.”
Mia worked for Diddy as his personal assistant and as a director at Revolt films. She described the work environment as “chaotic, toxic..the highs were really high and the lows were really low.” According to Mia, Diddy’s mood determined the environment.
Mia claimed Diddy threw things at her, threw her against a wall, threw her into a pool, slammed her arm into a door and sexually assaulted her. The disgraced music mogul allegedly sexually assaulted Mia on more than one occasion.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’
former stylist kept in touch with the rapper after he stopped working for him. Deonte Nash revealed in court Thursday that Diddy reached out to him about Cassie Ventura’s relationship with Alex Fine in 2019.
Nash told Diddy’s defense that after he stopped working for Combs, he still checked in on him to see how the “Last Night” rapper was doing. According to Nash, he even invited Diddy to a seafood fest for his birthday at Cassie’s home.
In 2018, Nash reached out to Diddy about Kim Porter’s death. The celebrity stylist testified that he respected Diddy’s relationship with Porter.
Nash testified that Diddy never asked about Cassie.
The jury was shown texts between Nash and Diddy from Jan 18, 2019. Diddy said something about “the trainer” and “could have given your boy a heads up.” Fine began working as a personal trainer after college and started his own company in 2015, Alex Fine Performance.
“On a real note, how is she? Make sure she is all right,” one of Diddy’s texts read. Nash confirmed Combs was asking about Cassie.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Deonte Nash, a celebrity stylist who worked for
Sean “Diddy” Combs and Cassie Ventura, testified that he was always concerned for her safety.
Nash recalled spending New Year’s Eve in 2017 with Diddy, Cassie and music producer Rob Holladay. Diddy’s defense lawyer, Xavier Donaldson, asked about Cassie asking Nash to leave because she and Diddy wanted to invite another man over. Nash said he just left the room because he “was just exhausted.” Nash said he was always concerned for Cassie’s safety, but left anyway.
Nash confirmed there were drugs in the room because he had been doing them with Combs, Cassie and Holladay.
According to Nash, he did not see Cassie afterwards as she went straight to Mexico. He said he spoke to her later, maybe when they were on the flight.
During Nash’s direct examination, he recalled the 2017 Las Vegas trip. Nash claimed Diddy told him that Cassie had been asleep for 20 hours and he had to wake her up. Nash said he woke her up but that Cassie wanted to stay in. Diddy allegedly said he spent “all that money” and Cassie needed to get ready. After clubbing, they went back to Diddy’s room. Nash fell asleep, but Cassie woke him up because “Puff wanted to invite a guy over.” Nash testified that he saw a guy knocking on Combs’ room before going in.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs and Cassie Ventura’s former stylist claimed there was a part of the “Me & U” singer’s life she kept from him.
Deonte Nash confirmed he had no idea there were videos of Cassie having sex with other men until 2013. He agreed with Diddy’s defense that Cassie kept that part of her life secret.
Nash testified Wednesday that Diddy threatened to release sex tapes of Cassie during a violent physical outburst. The alleged moment occurred while he and Cassie were cooking in her apartment. Nash testified that the rapper grabbed Cassie by the back of her hair and shirt and pushed her halfway out the door. Nash claimed Diddy then “popped [him]” in the back of the head.
According to Nash, Diddy “began to berate us both…you’re not going to be playing with him…take your broke a– and ride into the sunset…” Cassie and Nash drove away and allegedly got a call from Diddy to pull over. Nash remembered Diddy coming to the window to talk to Cassie, telling her that “she f—– up, that he was going to put her sex tapes on the Internet…start by first selling them to her parents’ jobs…her brother was a b—- and he was the only one who protected her.”
Nash recalled Cassie was in tears and Diddy was angry. He claimed they drove to Nash’s house. Nash said he told Cassie if Combs wanted to release the sex tapes to let him because Diddy was on them too. Cassie told Nash that Combs was not on the tapes, that he recorded Cassie having sex with other guys. Nash testified that Cassie told him she didn’t want to have sex with other guys but did because “Puff wanted her to.”
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former stylist Deonte Nash confirmed he introduced Cassie Ventura to Michael B Jordan. According to Nash, “he fine, she fine…” and Diddy’s assistant “Mia” “drove it home.” Nash claimed Combs and Cassie were broken up at the time.
Nash said he was at the Revolt conference in Miami in 2015 to style Lil Kim. Cassie was not there as she was in South Africa filming a movie. Nash told the jury Diddy signed off on the contract to allow Cassie to do the movie.
Diddy’s defense attorney Xavier Donaldson asked if Diddy was with another woman at the conference and if he told Cassie. Nash responded, “You’re not putting that on me…” According to Nash, another stylist told Cassie that Combs was with Gina at the conference. He testified that when Cassie found out, she was angry.
Cassie previously testified that she broke up with Diddy in 2015
while in South Africa for a movie. She told Diddy’s defense lawyer that someone had reached out to her about being at an event, but Cassie wasn’t actually there. She testified that she eventually learned Combs was at the event with Gina, another woman he had been seeing. Cassie admitted during cross-examination to being angry because she thought Gina was no longer in the picture.
Cassie explained she cut off contact with Combs, blocked him, and focused on the movie.
Diddy began to suspect she was in a relationship with Jordan, but Cassie testified she doesn’t remember his reaction.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Deonte Nash, a celebrity stylist who previously worked for Sean “Diddy” Combs and
Cassie Ventura, took the stand to continue his cross-examination by the rapper’s defense.
Attorney Xavier Donaldson asked Nash about Cassie suffering a gash on her head. Nash told Donaldson that while Cassie was on the floor, Diddy continued to kick her.
Donaldson then asked about Nash’s meetings with the government. He asked why Nash did not reveal that Diddy continued to kick Cassie when she was on the ground during his meeting. Nash responded that the prosecution did not ask.
“I gave as little as possible,” he said in court. “I only answered what I was asked.”
On Wednesday, Nash claimed he was only there because he was subpoenaed to testify.
When asked if he wanted to testify, the celebrity stylist said, “absolutely not.”
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
An alleged victim of Sean “Diddy” Combs is set to testify Thursday in the rapper’s sex trafficking and racketeering trial.
The prosecution asked for additional privacy measures for “Mia.” The alleged victim, who has been allowed to testify under a pseudonym, worked as Diddy’s assistant.
The government requested to turn off the video feed of the witness box during Mia’s testimony. However, Judge Arun Subramanian said he won’t do that. The federal judge pointed out that no sketches are allowed to be made of Mia during Diddy’s trial.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Arson investigator Lance Jimenez testified
about the damage done to Kid Cudi’s Porsche on Wednesday. Jimenez responded to a call about a car fire in January of 2012.
Kid Cudi previously testified that he believed Sean “Diddy” Combs was involved in the fire.
The jury was shown photos of the vehicle’s front seat showing a handkerchief and the bottle used in the Molotov cocktail. Jimenez said they collected both the handkerchief and bottle.
A photo of the driver’s side door with the burn pattern was shown. Jimenez said there was severe damage, but not normally what you would see with a Molotov cocktail.
An additional photo of the cloth material that was believed to be inside the bottle was then shown. Jimenez testified the cloth appeared to be designer.
Jimenez recalled there being a lot of heat damage to the door, windows and center console. He claimed he did not observe broken windows. Jimenez said the bottle, which was not broken, had been dropped into the car. The gas had seemingly splashed around, causing the burn patterns. Jimenez said he believed the cloth was a soaking type material and it fell out of the bottle. The arson investigator testified that the fire stayed small and caused the damage it was intended to.
Jimenez told the jury that if the bottle had broken, the vegetation would have caught fire, and the fire could have affected the home.
Jimenez said it was his opinion that someone lit the Molotov cocktail, cut the roof and dropped it into the car.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs
was back in court Thursday as the disgraced music mogul prepared to hear testimony from another alleged victim.
Diddy sat at the defense table wearing a light-colored sweater, chatting with one of his attorneys, before the jury arrived.
The prosecution, defense and federal judge spoke about pending issues regarding the testimony of “Mia,” the alleged victim who is allowed to testify under a pseudonym.
The jury will first hear from Deonte Nash. The celebrity stylist previously testified Wednesday that Diddy had become physically violent with the celebrity stylist on at least one occasion. He told the jury that he also witnessed the rapper physically assault Cassie multiple times.
Nash, who worked for Diddy from 2008 until 2018, claimed Cassie and Diddy went to hotels nearly every week. To prepare for these hotel outings, Cassie would allegedly pack a duffle bag with sex toys.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
The prosecution in Sean “Diddy” Combs’
trial has set out to prove the rapper is guilty of sex-trafficking, racketeering and more. Key witnesses, including Cassie Ventura’s mom and her best friend, have helped bolster the government’s case against the disgraced music mogul.
“But not all the testimony landed perfectly for the prosecution,” criminal defense lawyer Jo-Anna Nieves told Fox News Digital. “Some of it may have actually given the defense room to argue that the government’s case is more about painting Diddy as a bad person than proving he committed crimes.”
A handful of witnesses have given testimony that borders on “feeling more sensationalized” than “substantive,” Nieves told Fox News Digital.
“For instance, George Kaplan talked about Diddy’s erratic behavior but didn’t directly tie it to illegal acts and he left the job on his own terms,” the Oakland-based attorney added. “The defense could use this to argue that things weren’t as dangerous or criminal as they’re being portrayed if he was free to leave. Then there was the hotel staff testimony, which focused on cleanup and ‘excessively oily’ rooms. This testimony may stick in jurors’ minds, but without a clear link to criminal conduct, it risks feeling more sensationalized than substantive. And while Cassie’s former best friend, Kerry Morgan, gave powerful and emotional testimony about witnessing abuse, and even being assaulted herself, the defense may question her credibility by suggesting she had personal motives, emotional bias, or stood to gain financially.”
“While the prosecution is drawing a picture of control, coercion, and criminal enterprise, the defense is starting to suggest that some witnesses are emotionally charged, circumstantial, or lacking firsthand knowledge of actual crimes. That’s where the risk of testimony backfiring comes into play; when it creates more noise than substance, it can give the defense room to argue that the case is built more on character assassination than on solid, provable facts.”
TMZ founder Harvey Levin told Fox News Digital some celebrities are starting to worry about being called to the witness stand as the federal trial for sex crimes against Sean “Diddy” Combs continues.
Diddy is charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution. His trial is now in its third week, and a few celebrities have already taken the stand.
“I have heard that there are some celebrities worried about being called to testify and have even lawyered up trying to fight that,” Levin told Fox News Digital.
“I think [rapper Kid] Cudi and Cassie were the star witnesses, but I don’t know who else the prosecution has up their sleeve,” Levin said. “I don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes there, but they’ve got four weeks left of testimony before they hand it over to the defense. We will see. But what they clearly are doing is cobbling together what they claim is proof beyond a reasonable doubt that he has committed these various crimes.”
Levin didn’t detail which celebrities might be called to testify.
Celebrities already mentioned over the course of the trial, include Michael B. Jordan, Usher, former President Barack Obama, Britney Spears, Bruce Willis and Jennifer Lopez. None of these celebs have been accused of any wrongdoing.
Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs
is facing 15 years to life in prison on charges of racketeering conspiracy; sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and transportation to engage in prostitution, according to a federal indictment.
In documents obtained by Fox News Digital, Diddy’s defense team admitted the disgraced rapper committed “domestic violence” against a partner.
Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer, Dan Rubin, explained how Diddy’s strategy seems to be to “admit to what is a lesser, state crime to avoid federal prison.”
“This is smart because while Diddy might admit that something unlawful happened
, it’s not as bad as what the federal prosecutors are saying happened, and the federal government would have no ability to punish him at all, let alone with a higher prison sentence,” Rubin said.
During the first week of testimony, Diddy’s ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura testified to being forced to engage in alleged “freak offs,” and claimed it was commonplace for Diddy to become “physical” with her in their relationship. She defined “physical” as punishment, beatings, kicking, etc.
Fox News Digital’s Tracy Wright contributed to this report.
Federal appeals court allows Trump tariffs to remain despite lower court ruling
A federal appeals court on Thursday allowed President Donald Trump’s tariffs to remain in effect for now, despite another court’s ruling just one day earlier that said the president overstepped his authority by imposing the tariffs.
In its decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit granted an immediate administrative state to the extent that permanent injunctions entered by the Court of International Trade on Wednesday are temporarily stayed until at least June 9.
After June 9, the court can issue an order of enforcement.
“The plaintiffs-appellees are directed to respond to the United States’s motions for a stay no later than June 5, 2025,” the decision read. “The United States may file a single, consolidated re-ply in support no later than June 9, 2025.”
TRUMP GRANTS EU TARIFF EXTENSION AFTER ‘GOOD CALL’ WITH URSULA VON DER LEYEN
The U.S. Court of International Trade ruled Wednesday that Trump overstepped his authority over tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
“The Constitution assigns Congress the exclusive powers to ‘lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises,’ and to ‘regulate Commerce with foreign Nations,’” the court opined. “The question in the two cases before the court is whether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (‘IEEPA’) delegates these powers to the President in the form of authority to impose unlimited tariffs on goods from nearly every country in the world.”
“The court does not read IEEPA to confer such unbounded authority and sets aside the challenged tariffs imposed thereunder,” the court continued.
JUDGE RULES TRUMP ACTED LAWFULLY IN CHINESE TARIFFS, IN COURT WIN FOR WHITE HOUSE
The three judges who ruled on the matter were appointed by former Presidents Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama, as well as Trump himself.
The panel did not waste time in its decision and bypassed the plaintiff’s preliminary requests for temporary injunctive relief to get straight to the merits, vacating the tariffs and permanently enjoining them from enforcement.
“The court holds for the foregoing reasons that IEEPA does not authorize any of the Worldwide, Retaliatory, or Trafficking Tariff Orders. The Worldwide and Retaliatory Tariff Orders exceed any authority granted to the President by IEEPA to regulate importation by means of tariffs,” the panel wrote. “The Trafficking Tariffs fail because they do not deal with the threats set forth in those orders.”
The Trump administration immediately appealed the court’s decision.
TRUMP THREATENS 25% TARIFF ON IPHONES, 50% TARIFF ON EU GOODS AMID TRADE TENSIONS
The White House told FOX Business on Wednesday that the Trump administration is committed to using every level of executive power to restore American greatness.
“Foreign countries’ nonreciprocal treatment of the United States has fueled America’s historic and persistent trade deficits,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said. “These deficits have created a national emergency that has decimated American communities, left our workers behind, and weakened our defense industrial base — facts that the court did not dispute.”
“It is not for unelected judges to decide how to properly address a national emergency,” Desai continued. “President Trump pledged to put America First, and the Administration is committed to using every lever of executive power to address this crisis and restore American Greatness.”
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
Trump announced his highly anticipated reciprocal tariff plan as part of his “Liberation Day” announcement on April 2.
Trump announced customized tariffs on dozens of nations to help bring parity to what he said were decades of foreign nations installing trade barriers on U.S. goods, while also imposing a 10% baseline tariff on all countries.
Julie Chrisley spotted at Nashville butcher shop one day after Trump’s pardon
Julie Chrisley is ready to take on the real world.
On Thursday, the “Chrisley Knows Best” star, 52, was seen leaving a butcher shop in Nashville, Tennessee, just one day after being released from federal prison.
The reality TV star, who was serving two and a half years in federal prison on bank fraud and tax evasion charges, was rocking her natural hair color while smiling outside the shop.
TODD CHRISLEY JOKES ABOUT PRISON AS HE REUNITES WITH DAUGHTER SAVANNAH
Hours earlier, the couple’s daughter, Savannah Chrisley, posted a photo of her parents reunited.
While the photo didn’t show their faces, both were sitting close to one another, with Todd wearing his wedding band.
“Reunited and it feels so good,” Savannah wrote over the photo.
On Wednesday evening, Julie’s husband Todd first walked out of a federal prison in Pensacola, Florida, after serving two and a half years in prison, according to lawyer Alex Little’s office. The release came shortly after President Donald Trump signed pardons for both Todd and Julie, who were both convicted of the same charges in 2022.
Little’s office confirmed to Fox News Digital that Julie had been released from the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, on Wednesday night, shortly after Todd was released.
Todd and Julie, who became famous on the reality series “Chrisley Knows Best,” were convicted of conspiring to defraud community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans as well as tax evasion and sentenced to 12 and seven years, respectively. Their sentences were later reduced.
The couple’s daughter, Savannah Chrisley, got emotional outside the federal prison in Pensacola awaiting her father’s release earlier in the day.
When speaking to reporters, Savannah said, “Honestly, this process has been absolutely insane, and I am so grateful that I’m going to leave here with my dad.”
CHRISLEY CHILDREN CELEBRATE TRUMP’S PLAN TO PARDON REALITY TV PARENTS IN FRAUD, TAX EVASION CASE
Savannah claimed that prosecutors had had her father’s head “on a dart board” before his prison sentence. She read Trump’s pardon to the reporters, which stated an immediate release, and she said she hopes “the prison is going to do that shortly.”
Savannah said Trump’s pardon for her parents “literally came out of nowhere.”
“I was in such shock and awe that the president himself took the time to tell me my family is coming back together,” she said. During her interview, Savannah got emotional while explaining her constant fight to get her parents released from prison wasn’t just for them.
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
“I’m literally fighting for every man that has been left behind here,” she said, referring to the prisoners in the federal prison in Pensacola.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital on Wednesday, the couple’s attorney explained how the “incredibly powerful” pardon will wipe the couple’s case “entirely,” as if it never happened.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
“A pardon like this generally ends the case entirely, and so we’ll see the fine print of the pardon explicitly, but generally when you are pardoned, it is wiped away, and so it’s wiped clean,” Little, a partner at Litson PLLC, said. “It’s as if the case hasn’t happened, and fortunately Todd and Julie will be able to pick up their lives to the best that they’re able and go on forward and focus on the future.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“I think that the pardon process is something that hadn’t been used by many presidents for many, many terms. This president clearly looks at it differently, looks at, is part of his role to oversee the criminal justice system. And look, however much you may want to criticize that, it’s an incredibly powerful tool the president has, and I think it’s really important the president began to use it. This was a very deserving case and I hope that he finds more.”
Trump’s lawsuit with Paramount carries on as he turns down big settlement offer
President Donald Trump and Paramount Global are still at an impasse as they attempt to resolve his $20 billion lawsuit against the company through mediation.
Fox News Digital confirmed that Trump rejected a $15 million offer to settle his lawsuit, according to a source familiar with the matter. The president’s legal team is also demanding at least $25 million and an apology from CBS News. Trump’s attorneys even floated another lawsuit against the company.
Trump’s settlement rejection was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Trump’s attorney did not respond to Fox News Digital‘s request for comment. Paramount declined to comment.
‘60 MINUTES’ STAFF STAND BY KAMALA HARRIS INTERVIEW AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP’S MAJOR PARAMOUNT LAWSUIT
Last October, Trump sued CBS News and Paramount for $10 billion over allegations of election interference involving the “60 Minutes” interview of then-Vice President Kamala Harris that aired weeks before the presidential election (the amount has since jumped to $20 billion).
The lawsuit alleges CBS News deceitfully edited an exchange Harris had with “60 Minutes” correspondent Bill Whitaker, who asked her why Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wasn’t “listening” to the Biden administration. Harris was widely mocked for the “word salad” answer that aired in a preview clip of the interview on “Face the Nation.”
However, when the same question aired during a primetime special on the network, Harris had a different, more concise response. Critics at the time accused CBS News of deceitfully editing Harris’ “word salad” answer to shield the Democratic nominee from further backlash leading up to Election Day.
The raw transcript and footage released earlier this year by the FCC showed that both sets of Harris’ comments came from the same response, but CBS News had aired only the first half of her response in the “Face the Nation” preview clip and aired the second half during the primetime special.
CBS News has denied any wrongdoing and stands by the broadcast and its reporting.
‘60 MINUTES’ PRODUCERS RAIL AGAINST TRUMP’S ‘BULLS—‘ LAWSUIT, DREAD PROSPECTS OF PARAMOUNT MAKING SETTLEMENT
Shari Redstone, Paramount’s controlling shareholder who recused herself from settlement discussions in February, made clear that she wanted to settle Trump’s lawsuit in hopes of clearing the pathway for Paramount’s multibillion-dollar planned merger with Skydance Media, which seeks approval from the Trump administration’s FCC.
However, there has been newsroom drama in recent months involving Redstone’s efforts to “keep tabs” on the network’s reporting of Trump, at least until the merger closes. That led to the abrupt resignation of “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens, who claimed he could no longer maintain editorial independence.
Also fueling settlement rumors was last week’s ousting of CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon, who cited disagreement with the company behind her departure.
CBS NEWS STAFFERS RATTLED BY CEO’S ABRUPT EXIT AS TRUMP LAWSUIT LOOMS OVER NETWORK
CBS News journalists remain defiant, including “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley, who went viral with his commencement address at Wake Forest University repeatedly slamming Trump as well as his lawsuit.
“Why attack universities? Why attack journalism? Because ignorance works for power,” Pelley told Wake Forest graduates. “First, make the truth seekers live in fear, sue the journalists and their companies for nothing. Then, send masked agents to abduct a college student who wrote an editorial in her college paper defending Palestinian rights and send her to a prison in Louisiana charged with nothing. Then move to destroy the law firms that stand up for the rights of others.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“With that done, power can rewrite history with grotesque false narratives. They can make criminals heroes and heroes criminals. Power can change the definition of the words we use to describe reality. Diversity is now described as illegal. Equity is to be shunned. Inclusion is a dirty word. This is an old playbook, my friends. There’s nothing new in this,” he continued.
Keith Olbermann challenged to race Riley Gaines after latest social media dig
FIRST ON FOX: OutKick contributor and former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines clapped back at former ESPN and MSNBC host Keith Olbermann with an official challenge for charity on Wednesday after he said Gaines “was, somehow, a worse swimmer than she is a MAGA stooge.”
Olbermann, the ex-host of both MSNBC’s “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” and ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” quoted an X post of Education Secretary Linda McMahon telling Fox News’ “America Reports” that Gaines “would have clearly won” her race if Gaines didn’t have to compete against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas.
CALIFORNIA TRACK STAR’S FAMILY REACTS TO TRUMP SHAKING UP GIRLS’ CHAMPIONSHIP MEET AMID TRANS ATHLETE DRAMA
“[Riley Gaines] finished 85th in the Olympic Trials,” Olbermann posted to X. “She finished tied for 5th in the only race including a transgendered athlete. If there had been none she MIGHT have finished tied for 4th, or had 5th place to herself.”
The 12-time National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) All-American responded on X, noting she “placed 85th at Olympic trials when I was 15/16.”
“I was one of the youngest there,” Gaines explained. “And I placed 5th *in the nation* in a sport measured in .01s of a second without going a best. Would you say the 5th best college football player is objectively bad at their sport?”
LIA THOMAS’ FORMER TEAMMATES SPEAK OUT AGAINST UPENN AMID TITLE IX VIOLATION
The “Gaines for Girls” podcast host told Fox News Digital she is now officially challenging Olbermann to a race for charity. The event would be a 200-yard freestyle at a location of Olbermann’s choice sometime before Aug. 31.
The winner of the race would pick which charitable organization the proceeds would go to and the total wager to be donated would be set if Olbermann agrees. The 25-year-old University of Kentucky alumnus told Fox that Olbermann “could do a 150” yard freestyle, while she still swims 200 yards, if it incentivized him to compete in the charitable challenge.
Olbermann posted on X after the publication of this article, saying the race “is a brilliant idea!”
“A 66-year old man with an arthritic left knee and chronic stress fractures in the right foot… Somebody you could finally beat!” he wrote.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
While Gaines and Olbermann sparred on X, President Donald Trump blasted California Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier this week as the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) cleared the way for a transgender athlete to compete in a women’s state championship track meet this upcoming weekend.
“California, under the leadership of Radical Left Democrat Gavin Newscum, continues to ILLEGALLY allow ‘MEN TO PLAY IN WOMEN’S SPORTS.'” Trump posted to Truth Social. “This week a transitioned Male athlete, at a major event, won ‘everything,’ and is now qualified to compete in the ‘State Finals’ next weekend.”
Trump signed an executive order on Feb. 5 in an attempt to outright ban men from competing in women’s sports. Trump went on to explain that if the Golden State did not comply with this executive order, federal funding could be revoked.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“THIS IS NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS,” the president continued in his post. “Please be hereby advised that large scale Federal Funding will be held back, maybe permanently, if the Executive Order on this subject matter is not adhered to.”
Newsom’s office released a statement supporting the transgender athlete’s participation in the upcoming state championship.
Faulty maintenance sends passengers screaming in failed Alaska Airlines landing
Nearly two years after passengers screamed while sparks flew down a runway during the landing of an Alaska Airlines flight, the cause has been revealed.
A final report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released on Tuesday points to “incorrect” maintenance work.
The flight, which departed from Seattle, Washington, made a hard touchdown in Santa Ana, Calif., during Tropical Storm Hilary after the left main landing gear collapsed on touchdown.
Video recorded by a passenger captured the plane slamming into the ground at high speed. Sparks were seen flying as the plane appeared to drag its left wing along the tarmac.
ALASKA AIRLINES PASSENGERS SCREAM AS PLANE MAKES HARD LANDING AMID TROPICAL STORM HILARY: ‘SPARKS OUTSIDE’
Investigators revealed that the incident was caused by a “fatigue crack” of a metal trunnion pin, which is part of the left landing gear. The fracture formed from excessive grinding during a 2018 maintenance overhaul, which introduced heat damage to the metal. While the crack was initially not visible, it grew over time and ultimately “caused the pin to fracture during landing,” the NTSB report said.
“Results of this examination and previous NTSB investigations demonstrate that even relatively mild heat exposure from grinding and/or machining during overhaul can lead to cracking, which can lead to fatigue crack growth and failed landing gear components, as occurred in this accident,” the report stated.
DELTA PLANE’S LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING TORONTO CRASH-LANDING, INVESTIGATORS SAY
The report added that the pin had endured more than 4,000 landing cycles since undergoing the 2018 maintenance work. The crack itself had likely been present for approximately 800 landing cycles, the NTSB found.
Although the aircraft sustained substantial damage from the hard landing, all 112 passengers and crew members were able to deplane safely and without injury.
Alaska Airlines previously said, “our focus is taking care of our guests who were on board, including retrieving their checked bags.”
“We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate their patience during this situation.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Alaska Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Leadership changes underway at US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
There will soon be a leadership shake-up within Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Department of Homeland Security, Fox News has learned.
The changes include the retirement of Kenneth Genalo, who currently serves as acting executive associate director of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), sources at the White House and ICE told Fox News. The sources also say that Robert Hammer, executive associate director of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is being reassigned.
Current deputy special agent in charge Derek Gordon is expected to take over as acting HSI director.
The role changes are only part of a “massive realignment” within ICE, the sources told Fox News. ICE and HSI have not responded to requests for comment.
TEXAS BILL REQUIRING SHERIFFS TO COLLABORATE WITH ICE GIVEN INITIAL APPROVAL BY STATE HOUSE
Word of the changes comes just days after White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller reportedly lashed out at top immigration officials at a May 21 meeting in ICE headquarters, Axios reported Wednesday.
HOUSE GOP TARGETS ANOTHER DEM OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF BLOCKING ICE AMID DELANEY HALL FALLOUT
Miller and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem reportedly demanded that ICE start arresting 3,000 people per day as part of the illegal immigration and deportation crackdown.
This week, ICE officers also launched a nationwide initiative to begin arresting illegal immigrants at their immigration and asylum hearings.
The effort targets illegal immigrants who have been in the U.S. fewer than two years. The DHS strategy is to drop their immigration case, arrest the migrant, then place them into expedited deportation proceedings.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The initiative requires the DHS to drop the cases because migrants cannot be put forward for expedited removal if they have a pending case.
Veteran Maryland congressman, 85, faces age-focused primary threat by firefighter
Longtime Democratic Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer has yet to announce whether he will seek re-election next year for a 24th two-year term in Congress.
If he does, he will face a primary challenger who is making Hoyer’s age – the congressman turns 86 next month and would be 89 at the end of his next term – a centerpiece of his campaign.
Harry Jarin, 35, a volunteer firefighter and emergency services’ consultant, said Thursday in a new video announcing his candidacy, “If you live here in southern Maryland, I want to ask you a tough question. Do you really think that Steny Hoyer, at 89-years-old, is the best person to represent us?”
Jarin argued that “we’re in a moment of real crisis. Radical Republicans are burning down our country around us. Our friends and family who work in the government are losing their jobs. We keep sending politicians like Steny Hoyer back to Congress again and again. Tired politicians like Steny can’t put up a fight that we need.”
PARTY VICE CHAIR IGNITES FIRESTORM WITH PUSH TO PRIMARY CHALLENGE OLDER HOUSE DEMOCRATS
“Here’s the bottom line: you don’t put out a fire by sending in the same people who let it spread. Send in a firefighter,” Jarin said. “Maryland deserves a new generation of leadership, and I’m ready to take up the fight.”
And in an interview with Fox News Digital, Jarin said: “I think we’re facing a really serious constitutional crisis….Congress has really declined as an institution over the last three or four years. Congress has surrendered a lot of its legislative power under the Constitution over to the executive branch. I think that’s been very corrosive to our political system.”
Asked about his motivation to primary challenge Hoyer, Jarin said, “It’s not just about getting someone younger and fresher in. It’s getting someone in who understands the need to revitalize Congress as an institution.”
Fox News reached out to Hoyer’s office for a response, but a spokesperson declined to respond.
Hoyer, who first won his seat in Congress in a 1981 special election, from 2003 to 2023, was the second ranking House Democrat behind Rep. Nancy Pelosi. He served as House Majority Leader from 2007-2011 and from 2019-2023, when the Democrats controlled the chamber.
Along with Pelosi, Hoyer stepped down from his longtime leadership position at the end of 2022 but remained in Congress.
DEMOCRATS PREDICT HOUSE REPUBLICANS WILL PAY PRICE FOR PASSING TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’
“I think all of us have been around for some time and pretty much have a feel for the timing of decisions. And I think all three of us felt that this was the time,” Hoyer told CNN at the time, as he referred to the moves by the top three House Democrats – Pelosi, Hoyer and Rep. Jim Clyburn – to step down from their leadership roles.
Hoyer has long been a major backer of the Democrats’ top issues, and during his second tenure as House Majority Leader, he played a crucial role in the passage of then-President Joe Biden’s so-called American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
He represents Maryland’s Democrat-dominated 5th Congressional District, which covers a region known as Southern Maryland, and includes the suburbs south and east of Washington D.C., a sliver of suburban Baltimore and Annapolis, as well as rural areas farther south.
Hoyer, who suffered a minor stroke last year, is the latest high-ranking House Democrat to face a primary challenge from a younger opponent.
Pelosi and Reps. Brad Sherman of California and Jan Schakowsky of Illinois have drawn primary challenges, with Schakowsky later announcing that she will no longer run for re-election.
Jarin told Fox News that when he spoke with voters in the district about Hoyer, they had concerns about the incumbent’s age.
“The main reaction I got when I asked people about Steny Hoyer was first and foremost his age,” Jarin said. “The idea that he would be close to 90 years old at the end of the next term is just a little bit nuts for people. I think people are starting to process how extreme a situation that is.”
The primary challenges come as Democrats are still trying to regroup following last November’s election setbacks, when the party lost control of the White House and their Senate majority, and came up short in their bid to win back the House.
The party’s base is angry and energized to push back against the sweeping and controversial moves by President Donald Trump in the four months since he returned to the White House.
Additionally, while much of that anger and energy is directed at fighting the White House and congressional Republicans, some of it is targeted at Democrats whom many in the party’s base feel aren’t vocal enough in their efforts to stymie Trump.
Concurrently, other longtime and older House Democrats in safe blue districts are facing the possibility of primary challenges.
This, after newly elected Democratic National Committee Vice Chair David Hogg last month pledged to spend millions of dollars through his outside political group to back primary challenges against what he called “asleep at the wheel” House Democrats – lawmakers he argued have failed to effectively push back against Trump.
The move by the 25-year-old Hogg, a survivor of the horrific shooting seven years ago at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in South Florida, to spend money against fellow Democrats ignited a firestorm within the party.
Jarin said that “we have reached out to David Hogg. We’ve been in communication.”
As for his ability to raise money for his campaign, Jarin said, “I do come from a political family.”
He noted that his husband was a major donor and bundler for former President Joe Biden’s successful 2020 campaign and also served as a DNC finance director, and that his uncle had “been a big bundler for Democratic causes for a longtime.”
“I think a lot of donors realize that this is a problem but may not be able to say it out loud for fear of repercussions,” he argued.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Jarin said that he’s received “some pushback from donors for concerns of prioritizing more marginal districts” instead of pouring resources into swing seats as the party aims to win back the House majority in 2026.
“My message to them has been that putting extremely elderly politicians like Steny Hoyer back into office for a 24th term sends a message to voters across the country that Democrats are just the party of status quo and clearly that message has not been working,” he highlighted.
Baby found dead with bite marks was not killed by dog in big twist
A 1-month-old girl found dead with dog bites on her face in New York City Tuesday did not die from those injuries, the city’s chief medical officer said in a perplexing new development.
Initial reports suggested the family’s pit bull-German shepherd mix was responsible for the infant’s death, but the city’s chief medical officer has now ruled out that theory, and the true cause of death has yet to be determined.
“The cause and manner of death are pending further study and will require additional testing, but the medical examiner has been able to determine this is not a fatal dog mauling,” the city’s medical examiner told Fox News Digital.
TEXAS BABYSITTER’S DOGS ATTACK TODDLER AND TEENAGER LEFT ALONE IN HER CARE: SHERIFF
The young victim, Kiyanna Winfield, was sleeping with her mother and stepfather inside an apartment at the Queensbridge Houses public housing complex in Queens, police said.
When the pair woke up at around 6:40 a.m., they found the child unresponsive with bite marks on her face.
Neighbors said screams from the mother rattled the building, according to reports.
The dog bit off a ”substantial portion” of the face of the baby, the New York Post reported, citing sources. The outlet reported that the infant was born April 13, and the dog was 6 weeks old.
A friend of the mother said she had spoken to the distraught parent.
“She told me she woke up, and the dog was eating the baby, chewing on the baby’s face,” the friend told the outlet.
‘BACHELOR’ ALUM SEAN LOWE SUFFERS SEVERE INJURIES AFTER HIS DOG ATTACKED HIM TWICE IN 12 HOURS
The child was pronounced dead by responding EMS workers.
Police said the case is still under investigation, and no arrests have been made.
Winfield’s mother and stepfather were not identified by police.
The city’s Animal Care Centers of NYC was called to take the puppy and another dog out of the apartment.
The organization provided photos of the puppy being handled by a worker and inside a cage.
The infant’s grandmother told the Daily News she had previously offered to take the newborn in while the mom, who was living in a shelter at the time, secured better housing.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“I learned that she was pregnant maybe a couple days before she gave birth,” the grandmother told the outlet. “After she gave birth, she loved the baby. I asked her if she had any problems and if she wanted to give me the baby. She said no, she’d take care of her. She would manage.”
The grandmother said she had not yet gotten to meet her new granddaughter when she learned of her death Tuesday.
“How could they have a dog with a baby?” she asked. “The dog shouldn’t be in the house.”